


Delayed

by NotATorontonian (TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns)



Category: Life with Derek
Genre: Airports, Alternate Universe, College, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23865895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns/pseuds/NotATorontonian
Summary: Stranded on the airport, with his flight delayed, Derek thought he would die of boredom. He did not count on encountering his college crush, Casey.
Relationships: Casey McDonald/Derek Venturi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	Delayed

Derek let out a protracted sigh, rubbing a hand over his face in an attempt to wipe the exhaustion from it. He shifted in his seat, stretching his long legs out in front of him and coming to the conclusion that there really was no way to get comfortable in an airport chair.

Looking around, he noted how odd it was to see such a lack of activity in a place normally bustling with people constantly in motion. Now, they merely sat together in clusters, some sprawled across two chairs, attempting to sleep; others having given up on such attempts were simply lying on the floor, heads pillowed by backpacks or coats.

Even on the bit of the airfield Derek could see through the window, no planes were making their slow progression towards the runways, and no luggage vehicles were coming out to meet planes returning to the gates.

The only movement came from the snow still steadily falling, blanketing everything in a shapeless white sheet.

“Ladies and gentlemen, for those waiting for Canadian Air 3497 from London Heathrow to Toronto, the flight will be delayed until tomorrow morning. We will begin assigning hotel rooms shortly. Please, make your way to the podium if you should have any questions.”

The announcement was nearly identical to the one that had been made half an hour before. Derek shook his head, gaze roaming absently around the gate area once more.

This time, he noticed a young woman not far from him, and a flash of recognition made him sit up straighter.

She was perched on top of her suitcase, head bent forward so that her long, raven hair spilled over her shoulders. Smiling in disbelief, Derek stood and maneuvered his way through the crowded seating area towards the redhead.

“Casey MacDonald, as I live and breathe,” he said once he had reached her.

The woman’s head whipped up, and Derek noted with a twist in his stomach that her eyes were red, as though she’d been crying not too long before.

“Derek?” she said in surprise, brushing her hair back from her face. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just come out here now and again to kill a few hours. I love airports.” Casey looked as though she was trying very hard not to roll her eyes. It was an expression with which Derek was intimately familiar. “You?”

“Yeah, same,” Casey said seriously.

Derek grinned. “It’s good to see you, Case.” He tried to remember the last time he had seen his college colleague, sure that there had been at least one or two occasions since they left school. “How’re things?”

Before Casey could answer, someone tapped Derek on the shoulder. “Sir, is this your bag?”

Derek turned to see a stern-faced airport security woman hefting his suitcase in the air. “Oh, yes, thanks.” He reached for the bag, but the woman pulled it back slightly.

“You should not leave your luggage unattended, sir.” She admonished.

“Yes, I know, sorry.” He said, charmingly. “Although if I were planning to set off a bomb, I’d be quite put out that the weather spoiled my plans, wouldn’t I?”

He heard Casey snort behind him, but the security woman’s face only darkened.

“I would strongly urge you not to joke about something of that nature, sir.” She said, the way in which she all but spit out the final word suggesting she was quickly losing the respect for Derek that it implied.

“Right, terrible timing—and probably the wrong audience. Got it.” He reached out his hand again and the woman slowly relinquished his suitcase, still eyeing him suspiciously.

When she finally moved away, Derek turned to find Casey biting back a smile.

“That’s the Derek Venturi I know,” she said. “Always one step away from being arrested.”

Derek scoffed. “I’d say two steps, at least.”

Casey’s smile emerged fully. “Of course. As to how I am . . .” She scrunched up her nose in a way Derek thought was meant to hide her true emotions. “I’ve been better.”

He hummed. “Going without my company for too long does make the soul grow weary, I hear.” Derek said, nodding solemnly.

Shooting him a look, Casey said “How do you know I didn’t say that because you’re here?”

“Impossible!” Derek declared. Spreading out his jacket on the ground, he sat down with his back against the wall near Casey and spread his hands wide. “Tell me everything.” When she only chewed her lip skeptically, he added, “What else do you propose to do to pass the time?”

“As sensitive and caring as always…” Casey muttered. “But fine. The reason I’m stuck here is that I was supposed to fly back home for my cousin’s wedding.”

“And how is Icky Vicky these days?”

Casey frowned at him. “How do you … I haven’t called her Icky Vicky since we were kids.”

“Ah, but you forget I know all about your lovely cousin, Princess.” When Casey continued to look confused, Derek added with a wicked grin, “Hundred Days March, remember?”

“Oh,” Casey said, flushing. “That.”

“Yes, that.”

The Hundred Days March was a tradition from their university days. One hundred days before graduation, seniors gathered to walk to one of the local bars, where the school provided food and drinks for the entire evening. It was a celebration of the final push to the end of their time as students.

Frankly, the tradition had always baffled Derek. For a university that publicly frowned on students drinking and as a rule maintained a “dry” campus, providing free, unlimited alcohol seemed an unexpected departure, even if the event did technically occur off-campus.

Predictably, most students ended the night barely able to stand up straight, much less make the walk back to their dormitories. What had been particularly surprising, however, was that Casey MacDonald had been one of them.

Derek had lost track of his mates over the course of the evening and had ended up in a corner booth with Casey. It was probably the longest consecutive time they had spent together just the two of them, and he’d learned more about her childhood, family, and secondary school days than he had in the previous three years he had known her combined.

Casey had been mortified the next day, even though Derek assured her again and again she hadn’t shared anything too private or embarrassing.

“Your threshold for embarrassment is much higher than mine, Venturi.” She had insisted. Derek suspected that she had deliberately avoided him over the following few days, and they had not speak of that night again since.

“Well I suppose that saves me from having to explain too much, then.” Casey said. “Recently Victoria and I have been… _getting along_ seems a little strong, but we’ve at least been tolerating each other. Enough that she sent me an invitation to her wedding, though I suspect that my mother had some influence on that decision. Anyway, I was originally flying out yesterday, but with the weather everything was canceled, so I got bumped to today. Which looks like it’s going to be a bust as well.” She sighed. “Of course, Victoria is going to say I should have taken an even earlier flight …”

“She can’t hold that against you, though. You don’t control the weather.”

Casey laughed bitterly. “I thought you said you knew all about my cousin.”

“When’s the wedding?”

“In about,” She checked her watch, “eleven hours.”

Derek winced. “Sorry.”

Casey looked away with a shrug. “Like you said, not much I can do about it.”

They were quiet for a moment, and then Derek stood up, brushing off his jeans and picking up his jacket. “I have an idea!” he said, extending a hand to Casey.

She smiled. “Of course, you do.” She took his offered hand and let him help her to her feet. They each grabbed their suitcases, and Casey gestured ahead of her. “Lead the way, Venturi.”

They made their way through the crowd of tired and defeated-looking passengers, Derek choosing their path mostly from memory of the sliding doors he’d passed a few hours before.

After several wrong turns and a doubtful, “Are you just making this up as you go along?” from Casey, they finally arrived outside of the frosted glass concealing the exclusive British Airlines lounge for those willing to pay for such a luxury.

Casey shook her head. “I shouldn’t be surprised you’re able to get in here.” She said. “But why wait in the regular boarding area?”

“Oh, no, I don’t have a way to get us in. Officially, at least.” Derek said breezily. “Just follow my lead.”

“Derek …” Casey said slowly, eyeing him distrustfully.

“Casey …” he returned, copying her tone and look until a smile slipped through Casey’s guarded expression. He held out his hand again, wiggling his fingers in an unspoken request when Casey only raised her eyebrows at him.

At last, she put her hand in his and he led them through the automatic doors, feeling Casey’s continued hesitation in the way her fingers failed to wrap fully through his.

The woman sitting behind the counter just inside the doors smiled pleasantly at them. “Good evening. May I please see your boarding passes?”

“Hi there.” Derek said, fixing her with his most charming smile, pleased to see hers widen in return. “I was wondering if you might do us a massive favor. We don’t actually have access to this lounge,” The woman’s smiled faltered slightly. “But we’re newlyweds, and we’re supposed to be on our honeymoon, only we’re stuck here on account of the weather…”

He squeezed Casey’s hand in a silent plea for her to go along with his story, as well as an attempted warning for what he was about to do next.

“I just,” Derek dropped Casey’s hand and put his arm around her shoulders instead, giving her what was meant to look like a comforting hug. He nearly lost what he’d planned to say next when Casey surprised him by laying her head against his chest and wrapping both arms around his waist. “I was hoping I could do something nice for my wife in the meantime, and I thought maybe … you might be able to make an exception?”

He told himself his heartbeat had quickened in anticipation of the woman’s answer, and that it had nothing to do with the warmth of Casey’s body against his, her head tucked under his chin.

The lounge attendant looked at them for a long moment, and Derek prayed that he didn’t look guilty. Finally, a smile crossed her lips again and she nodded. “All right. I suppose I can’t deny such a lovely couple. But just for a few hours.” She added, gesturing them into the room beyond.

“Thank you so much!” Derek said.

“Thank you.” Casey echoed.

They turned away from the desk and Casey let out a quiet snort of laughter.

“Keep it together, Princess, we’re not in the clear yet.” Derek said out of the side of his mouth, steering them towards one of the plush couches on the far side of the room, one of many arranged within the space. Each was flanked by small, glass-topped tables, some with vases of flowers placed on top, others with crystal bowls of chocolates and other snacks.

Classical music played softly in the background. Along one wall was a dark oak bar, bottles of various types of alcohol catching the warm light emanating from the chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

Derek and Casey settled onto a couch, Derek finally feeling safe to take his arm from Casey’s shoulders, now that they were mostly out of sight of the woman at the front desk.

“I can’t believe telling that woman we’re married was the first thing you thought of.” Casey said, tucking her feet beneath her and half-turning to face Derek, one arm propped on the back of the couch.

“Well, what would you have gone with?” He challenged.

“I don’t know, that we’re both … dying of some rare cancer and want to make the most out of—oh, shut up!” Casey grumbled as Derek gave her a dubious look. “Fine. Yours was better.”

Derek grinned. “It’s mostly down to the accent, though. I think foreigners think we are too virtuous to bend the rules.”

“A fact you never take advantage of, naturally.”

“Never,” Derek agreed. He glanced over at the bar. “Fancy a drink? I think they’re free…”

Casey shrugged. “Why not?”

Derek returned shortly with two glasses of champagne.

“M’lady.” He said, inclining his head as he handed Casey one of them.

“Thank you.” She said as Derek sat back down. “What are we celebrating?”

Derek thought for a minute, then raised his glass. “To the best fake wife I’ve ever had.”

“It’s barely been ten minutes. How do you know it’ll last?” Casey asked as she clinked her glass against Derek’s.

“Oh, I know, Case. How could it be anyone but you?”

Casey giggled, but Derek noted the two spots of pink on her cheeks as she took a sip of her champagne. He opened his mouth to tease her about it, but just then spotted the airport employee who’d met them at the lounge entrance craning her neck around the corner, frowning in their direction.

“Shit, that woman is looking at us. I don’t think she quite bought the whole honeymoon thing before … quick, get over here.”

“She said we were a lovely couple!” Casey objected as she scooted closer to Derek, and he almost laughed at her indignant tone, considering the other woman was completely within her rights to be skeptical. Casey tucked herself under Derek’s arm again and after a brief hesitation rested her hand on his leg, as though for good measure.

“Right, we should talk about something so she doesn’t get even more suspicious,” Derek muttered, doing his best not to glance over at the front desk again. “Uh … How’s… What is it you’re doing? Law school, or something?”

“You’re a terrible fake husband.” Casey chided. “Not Law, Grad school. It’s been going well; I really like it. It keeps me busy, though. What about you? Last I heard you were working as a bartender in Chelsea.”

“Yeah, still there!” Derek said with a short laugh. “Really putting my education to use.” He sighed. “I guess I haven’t really figured out that one thing that I want to do, you know?”

Casey craned her head to meet his eye. “You always struck me as someone who knew exactly what he wanted.”

And in that moment, staring back into her azure eyes, Derek did know what he wanted. It was the same thing he’d wanted for a long time, if he was being honest with himself, but it had continually seemed so far out of reach, and when Casey turned away again, he let the moment pass, just as he always had.

He felt Casey shrug under his arm. “Well, you’ll find your way eventually, I know it. We haven’t even reached our mid-twenties yet, so who really has anything figured out?”

Derek smiled. “I appreciate the reassurance, thanks, Case.”

For a few minutes, neither of them spoke, Casey seeming intent on picking at a faded stain on her jeans. Suddenly, her hand stilled and she blew out a loud breath, as though she’d come to a decision and was steeling her resolve.

“I had a massive crush on you at university.” She said, the words tumbling out quickly, though Derek had no trouble hearing them.

In the brief pause that followed, time seemed to slow, and Derek could feel Casey tense.

“I know.” he said at last.

Casey sat up so abruptly that her head almost knocked into Derek’s chin. “What? You did? How? I didn’t—I thought I hid it well.”

“You did. In fact, for a long time I thought you hated me.” He cleared his throat. “But you actually told me the same night you said all those things about your sister.”

“The Hundred Days March party? I thought you told me everything I said that night! I mean, I practically held you at knife point until you’d gone through it all, so I thought—why didn’t you tell me?” Though Casey’s exasperation was clear in the way she was practically shouting, her eyes still failed to meet Derek’s.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his knees. “I guess I thought … that was something you deserved the chance to say while sober. So, I wanted to give you that chance, to let you tell me properly. I figured you would eventually, only …”

“Only I never did,” Casey finished for him, her quiet voice in acute contrast to the sharpness of her words only moments before.

When she added nothing further, Derek sat up and turned to face her. “Casey…”

However, the speaker system overhead interrupted him. “Attention in the terminal, we are now providing hotel vouchers for all passengers on flights that have been delayed past six o’clock tomorrow morning. Please see your gate agent for more information.”

Derek and Casey looked at each other. “Did you want to get a hotel room?” Derek asked, standing. “Not—I didn’t mean together,” he clarified hurriedly, flushing. “But if you want one, we can head back, or ask someone here—I doubt they have enough for everyone, so…”

“So, we’re just going to leave it, then?” Casey cut him off, arms crossed over her chest and a fiery determination back in her eyes as she stood to face him.

“Leave what, Casey?” Derek said roughly, suddenly angry without quite knowing why. “Why would you tell me now, when you couldn’t tell me then? We’ve hardly seen each other since graduating, and then you just admit you used to have feelings for me, implying what? That you don’t anymore? What am I supposed to do with that? Because I’m still…” He clamped his jaw shut tightly before he said something he could not take back, raking a hand through his hair in frustration.

“You’re still in love with me?” Casey said, finishing his sentence for the second time that night.

“What?” Derek said hoarsely, staring at her.

A shaky smile crossed her lips, though Derek could see tears beginning to pool in her green eyes. “You’re not very good at hiding things, either, Venturi. And I know it’s mental, but I think that’s part of what held me back. If I told you how I felt, knowing you likely felt the same way … well that would make it real, and I don’t think I was ready for it to be more than a schoolgirl crush that I could easily dismiss.” The tears finally spilled from her eyes, tracing salty tracks down her cheeks and choking her words. “I know that’s horrible, and you didn’t deserve that, but I was just … scared.”

Almost before she had finished speaking, Derek had closed the short distance between them and taken Casey in his arms. Perhaps it was a strange reaction, given that he’d nearly been yelling at her only a minute ago, but for Derek no other response had crossed his mind.

“I was scared, too.” He murmured into her hair, as Casey’s arms went tightly around him. “It wasn’t fair of me either to leave it all up to you. I could have easily told you how I felt at any time.” The momentary silence that followed was filled only by Casey’s occasional sniffling. “This has been a very strange day.” Derek said quietly once Casey’s breathing had calmed, and she let out a small laugh.

They pulled apart, and Derek gently brushed the remaining tears from her cheeks with his thumb. Their eyes locked briefly, until Casey pulled away shaking her head vehemently. “Don’t you dare kiss me right now, Derek Venturi!” She said fervently. “Not when I’m a complete mess.”

Derek made a surrendering gesture with his hands as they both resumed their seats on the couch. “Wouldn’t dream of it. You’re probably not prepared anyway. I have imagined our first kiss many times, and let me tell you, it is mind-blowing.”

“Well then, I’ll have to be sure I’m ready.”


End file.
